Device for overcoming dead-centers.



A. H. GURLBY. DEVICE FOR OVBROOMING DEAD CENTERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1907.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

State of Mississippi, have invented a new and time. erect ARTHUR H. GURLEY, MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI.

nnvrcn FOR ovEnooMInG DEAD-CENTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed. November 4, 1907. Serial No. 400,572.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. GURLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Meridian, in the county of Lauderdale and useful Device for Gvercoming Dead-Centers,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices 'for overcoming dead centers and has for its object to provide improved means for'shifting the pitof illustration is shown mounted on the man or driving rod of an engine or other machine to one side of the crank pin thereby to prevent the fiy-wheel from stopping on dead center.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described including angularly disposed boxes, one of which is attached to the fly wheel and forms a housing for a spring actuated rod, said rod being slidably mounted in one of the boxes and operatively connected with the pitman so as to permit said pitman to be shifted laterally of the fly wheel.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ortion of afly wheel provided with an attac ment constructed in accord ance with my'invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the rod shifted laterally in the box or casing. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing the manner of lockin the rod in engagement with the adjacent box casing. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 14 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in elevation illustrating a detail of a modified form of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of. the

matter of the fpresent invention may beat tached to the y wheel of an engine, sewing wheel of an engine of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the fly Wheel and 6 the pitman.

The attachment consists of angularly disposed boxestor casings 7 and 8, one of which is disposed at an angle to the horizontal diameter of the fly wheel and rigidly secured to one of the spokesof the latter in any suitable manner, as by a screw or similar fastening device 9. positely disposed end walls 10 and 11 having alined openings 13 formed therein and also in the adjacent side wall of the box or casing 7, the latter being preferably dis osed at right angles to thecasing 8 and rigi ly secured to said casing, as shown.

One side of each box or casing is open, while the opposite side thereof is closed by a back plate or member 14, preferably extending the entire length of the box and which 'may be secured to or formed integral with the body of the box, as desired. Extending laterally from the intermediate portion of the rod 12 is a crank pin 15 on which is pivotally mounted a driving rod or pitman 6. One end of the rod 12 is formed with a looking notch .or recess 16 adapted to engage the upper wall of the opening 13 in the rear wall 11, this opening being elongated to permit .a slight vertical movement of the rod 12, as

will be more fully explained hereinafter.

1s a means for normally locking the rod 12 against longitudinal movement, a suitable catch- 17'is mounted in the box or casing 7 and provided with a curved contact face 18 for engagement with the adjacent surface of the rod 12, said catch being yieldably supported in engagement with therod by means of a coiled spring 19. The coiled sprln 19 is interposed between the catch 17 an an adjustable plate or stop 20 slidably mountmachine, lathe or other'machine and by way position after the same has been retracted.

fly The nut 23 engages suitable threads v25 The casing 8 is provided with op formed on the intermediate portion of the rod 12 so that by adjusting the nut longitudinally of the red the tension of the spring 24 may be varied. The opposite ends of the rod 12 are also preferably threaded at 26 for engagementwith suitable nuts 27, which latter serve to limit the longitudinal movement of said rod.

Slidably mounted on the rod 12 and interposed between the nuts 27 and the adjacent exterior walls of the boxes 7 and 8 are sleeves or collars '28 having their interior walls cut away at 29 so as to clear the adjacent threads on the rod, said collars serving to prevent the threads 26 from coming in contact with the wall of the opening 13 and stripping or otherwise mutilating the threads as the rod travels back and forth within the boxes. It will thus be seen that when the pitman 6 is on dead center, the downward pressure exerted on the pin 15 by said pitman will press the notched end of the rod 12 downwardly against the tension of the spring 19 thus releasing the notch 16 from engagement with the wall of the opening 13 so that the rod together with the pitman may slide longitudinally of the casing 8 and thus prevent the fly wheel from stopping on dead center. When the pit man travels in the opposite direction the tension of the spring 24 will force the rod 12 in the direction of the box or casing 7 until the notch 16 engages the wall of the opening 13 when the tension of the spring 19 will force said notch in engagement with the wall of said opening and thus prevent further movement of the rod 12.

It will of course be understood that the tension of the springs will be so adjusted that under ordinary conditions the rod 12 will be locked against longitudinal movement, but when the engine stops with the pitman 6 on dead center the pressure exerted by the pitman on the rod will actuate the device, in the manner before described.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which the spring 19 and catch 17 are dispensed with. In this form of the device a locking pawl 30 is disposed within the box 7 with one end thereof pivoted to the end wall 11 of the box 8 at the opening 13 and with its free end bearing against the rod 12, said pawl being yieldably supported in engagement with the rod by a leaf spring 31. The leaf spring 31 is secured to the box 7 by a bolt 32 which engages any one of a series of angular openings 33 formed in the box 7 so that by inserting the bolt in the different openings the position of the lower or fixed end of the spring may be varied with respect to the pawl thereby to regulate the pressure exerted by the spring on said pawl. The locking pawl is also provided with a pin or finger piece 34 by means of which the pawl may be swung laterally against the tension of the spring 31 when it is desired to release the rod 12 from the locking recess 16.

Should the pitman stop on dead center the operator grasps the linger piece or pin 34 and swings the locking pawl laterally so as to dis engage said pawl from the rod 12, the downward pressure exerted on the pin 1:") by the pitman serving to release the notched end of the rod thereby to permit the rod. together with the pitman to slide longitudinally within the casing 8 until the pitman passes beyond dead center. When the pawl 30 is released the spring 31 will cause said pawl to exert an upward pressure on the rod 12 and thus force the notch 16 into engagement with the wall of the slot 13, thereby to lock said rod against longitudinal movement.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. The combination with a lly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the lly wheel and provided with alined openings, a spring actuated rod extending longitudinally of the casing and slidably mounted in said openings, and a pin extending laterally from the rod for connection with the pitman.

2. The combination with a fly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the fly wheel, a spring actuated rod slidably mounted in the casing, a pin extending laterally from the rod for connection with. the pitman, and means for normally locking the rod against longitudinal movement.

3. The combination with a lly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the lly wheel and provided with oppositely disposed alined openings, a spring actuated rod carried by the casing and slidably mounted in. said openings, a pin extending laterally from the rod for connection with the pitman, and means for normally and yieldably supporting the rod in engagement with the wall of one of the openings.

4. The combination with a fly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the fly wheel and provided with. oppositely disposed alined openings, a spring actuated rod slidably mounted in said openings and provided with a locking notch adapted to engage the wall of the adjacent opening, a pin extending laterally from the rod for comieetion with the pitman, and yieldable means for retain ing the locking notch in engagement with the wall of said opening.

5. The combination with a lly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the lly wheel and provided with angularly disposed arms, a spring actuated rod slidably mounted in one of the arms of the casing, a pin extending laterally from the rod for connection with the pitman, and means carried by the opposite arm of the casing for normally locking the rod against longitudinal movement.

6. The combination with a fly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the fly wheel Cir ill]

lltl

and provided with angularly disposed arms one of which is formed with alined openings,

a spring actuated rod slidably mounted in retaining the locking notch in engagement with said wall.

7. The combination with a fly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to'the fly wheel and provided with angularly disposed arms, a spring actuated rod slidably mounted in one of the arms of the casing, a pin extending laterally from said rod for connection with the pitman; a catch carried by the other arm of the casing for normally locking the rod against longitudinal movement, a spring bearing against the catch, and a threaded rod engaging the spring and extending through the end wall of said armfor adjusting the tension of the spring. 7 e

8. The combination with a fly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the flywheel and provided with angularly disposed arms one of which is formed with alined openings, a rod slidably mounted in said openings and &

provided with a locking notch adapted to engage the' wall of one of the openings, a nut threaded on the rod, a spring interposed between'the nut and the adjacent wall of said arm, and a spring actuated member slidably mounted in the other arm of the casing for yieldably sup orting the locking notch in engagement with the wall of said opening.

9. The combination with a fly wheel and pitman, of a casing secured to the fly wheel and provided with alined openings, a spring actuated rod slidably mounted in said openings and having its opposite ends threaded, stops engaging the t reads on the rod for limiting the longitudinal movement of said rod, a connection between the pitman and rod, and spacing collars interposed between the stops and the adjacent walls of the casing andhaving their interior walls inclined to clear the adjacent threads.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR H. GURLEY.

Witnesses:

- WALKER D. RoBUnTs,

W. E. BAKER. 

